Wednesday, September 28, 2016

I like a pancake, then I like to tart it up. This is my motherfood pancake, it lives somewhere between an american pancake an a british pancake (crepe) and makes me happy every single time I make it. This is one of the foods I make when I'm here alone and need to feel some happiness and love.


No, I don't think you NEED a recipe for a pancake, it's flour, egg, milk, cooked and slathered in whatever makes you happy.  I just do them a little differently when it's just me here and I want a little treat.  The days where I'm chased away from a quiet read by televisions and feel lonely for someone to just chat to about nothing in particular, this is what I make, just for me, on those types of days...  go on, we all have them, trust me, if you make this, you'll have a little smile and a new start to the day.

DRIVEBY RECIPE:  TRACY'S BACON APPLE PANCAKE 
WITH POWDERED SUGAR AND QUEBEC MAPLE SYRUP


INGREDIENTS

Bacon, cut into tiny pieces, I use 2 pieces
water
1/2 apple, peeled and chopped small

1/2 cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 Tb sugar
1 egg
enough milk to take batter to 1 1/3 cup (10 oz) of batter

maple syrup
powdered sugar

METHOD AND PLAY BY PLAY PICS

Cut bacon up small and drop in a cold frying pan, add water to coat the bottom of the pan, thinly.  Turn on to medium high and cook till water evaporates and bacon crisps, drop in apples and fry around a bit, just a bit, we don't want them turned to babyfood.  Add a pat of butter and shush it around to a smooth layer in the pan.  Drizzle batter over, thinly but enough to cover, leave it, do NOT touch or shake, don't touch it!!  when it looks dry around the edge, slide a spatula under and flip it, one solid motion. you can do it!  Fry the second side a minute or so, till it's brown under there then flip back to first side. Transfer to plate and add a little powdered sugar, fold in half, dust with a little more powdered sugar and fold into quarters.  Pour a little maple syrup over and sit quietly and eat it, all of it.  :) Enjoy.  There is enough batter to make another, plain one OR you can repeat and make a second apple bacon.  Go on, make yourself one.

Make the batter and set aside.  Add bacon and water to pan and fry till crispy, add chopped apple.
     
Fry it around a bit, add a pat of butter and then pour batter over, carefully and evenly
    
Leave it, do not shush it around, just leave it, when it's brown and set, flip it
    
Oh, flip it back again when the second side is cooked, just for a second,  Transfer to a plate, sugar and flip, sugar and flip. 
    
Drizzle a little maple syrup over it...  yeah, then eat it, quietly, with no one anywhere near you 
  







Thursday, September 22, 2016

THE Pressure Cooker Creamy Cheesecake, with my oh so secret topping, in a 7 inch springform pan, better than all of them :) trust me THIS is the one you want to make

I love cheesecake, I love smooth, creamy cheesecake.  I don't like that crumbly style cheesecake, if that's the sort you like, avert your eyes because this is smooth, creamy, delicious and makes you want more more more of it.

I have to admit, I usually make the mini cheesecake in a jar:
http://www.tracycooksinaustin.com/2013/01/mini-pressure-cooker-cheesecake-in-jars.html

BUT sometimes I need a whole cheesecake to present, or just to make :).  I do own a 7 inch springform pan, go get one, they're fabulous for not only cheesecake but bread pudding, other cakes, all made in my pressure cooker.  Yeah, it's pretty crazy how much deliciousness you can make in one pan. But, as usual, I digress.  This is super easy, no fuss, no drama or leaving things in open ovens or fretting over the cracks, oh hell, life is way too short for that.  This is straight forward, 15 min cook time and a few minutes of rest then a chill and there you have it, one of the best cheesecakes I have ever made and have ever had.

TRACY'S CREAMY CHEESECAKE IN THE PRESSURE COOKER


INGREDIENTS

CRUST
12 graham crackers
4 1/2 Tbsp of soft or melted butter

FILLING
2 blocks ROOM TEMPERATURE (8 oz each) cream cheese
1Tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs
drizzle of lemon juice (optional)

TOPPING
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp sugar

Ok, there you go.

METHOD

Combine crackers and butter in cuisinart, press into a 7 inch springform pan.
Clean bowl :) sorry but we can't have crumbs in our cheesecake
Combine 2 blocks cream cheese with sugar, lemon, vanilla, salt till smooth smooth smooooooth
Add 2 eggs and a drizzle of lemon if you're using it
Combine and leave to beat for a couple of minutes you want smooooooooooth, scrape down a few times.
Pour lovely smooth soft mixture into the lined pan.

IN pressure cooker, put about 2 cups of water and a trivet that fits in the bottom, I got mine at the dollar store, it's a warmer that you use with a tea candle, cost me a buck,  Use what you have.

Make an aluminum sleeve, purely to help lift the cake from the cooker, if you don't want to, don't.

Place cheesecake on trivet over the water, lock and load, high pressure, 15 minutes.

DING, just unplug your unit and leave it to come down naturally, about 10 minutes?  Open it and if there's a little water on top of your cheesecake just tip it and use kitchen paper to dab it up, no worries, it's just condensation from resting while the pressure came down.

While the cheesecake is still warm, put the topping on it, gently smooth it out and leave it on the counter to cool completely.

Cover and put in the fridge..  8 hours... wait for it, wait for it, trust me now.........

PLAY BY PLAY PICS.....

    


    


   


   

   

I like a little of my strawberry compote drizzled on top but ANY topping is great, fresh fruit, chocolate, caramel, anything at all
  

You're going to want to go and make this, seriously, right now.  I'd wax poetic and tell you more details of how wonderful this is but, c'mon, I have a plate and a fork and, well.............cheesecake

/enjoy